Dark Spice Cake recipe from 1940

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This Dark Spice Cake recipe appeared in the Minneapolis Morning Tribune on September 24, 1940*.


It’s rich and warm with a subtle dark molasses kick. Iced with a mousse-like whipped chocolate ganache frosting, it’s a pleasant fall dessert.



INGREDIENTS


Cake:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
  • 1 cup brown sugar (200g)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cups sifted flour (220g)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp dark molasses
  • ½ scant cup strong coffee
  • 2 egg whites
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Chocolate Ganache:

  • 2 cups heavy cream (454g)
  • 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate (454g)
  • ¼ tsp salt

Note: All ingredients should be at room temperature unless otherwise stated.


Method:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C
  • Grease and line two 6-inch round cake pans

Cake:

  1. Separate 2 eggs. Set aside. 
  2. Sift flour, then measure or weigh. 
  3. Sift pre-sifted flour, salt, baking powder, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside. 
  4. In a large bowl, cream butter until it’s the consistency of whipped cream. 
  5. Add sugar gradually, while continuing to beat. Blend thoroughly. 
  6. Beat egg yolks until light in colour.
  7. Add beaten yolks to the butter/sugar mixture. Blend well. 
  8. Add molasses and blend thoroughly. 
  9. Add flour mixture and coffee alternately to the batter — beginning and ending with the flour mixture — blending well after each addition. 
  10. Mix in vanilla.
  11. Beat egg whites stiff, but not dry. 
  12. Fold stiffened egg whites gently into the batter until fully incorporated. 
  13. Divide evenly between two 6-inch round layer cake pans. 
  14. Bake in preheated oven at 375°F/190°C for 25 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
  15. Cool in cake pans for 15 minutes, then remove from pans and fully cool on a cake rack. 

Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

  1. Add chocolate to a medium-sided, heatproof bowl. 
  2. In a saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer. 
  3. Pour over chocolate and leave untouched for 5 minutes. 
  4. After 5 minutes, add salt and mix with a whisk or spatula until smooth. 
  5. Cover with plastic wrap — touching the surface of the ganache to prevent a skin from forming — and refrigerate until the ganache is the consistency of creamy peanut butter. (About 1-2 hours.)
  6. Remove plastic wrap and whip ganache on medium-high speed just until light, fluffy, and spreadable. (About 2 minutes.)

Once the cake layers have cooled, frost the cake as desired. 


Enjoy!


Notes: 

  • If you are using two 8-inch layer cake pans, bake at 375°F/190°C for about 18-22 minutes. 
  • ½ scant cup of coffee is ½ cup minus 1 tablespoon.
  • Be careful not to over whip the ganache or it may become grainy.
  • Instead of covering and refrigerating the ganache, you can cover and leave at room temperature overnight.
  • I chose whipped chocolate ganache frosting. Cream cheese frosting would be a great alternative.

Original newspaper clipping:


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